Meet Your 2025 Award Winners
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MINNESOTA'S DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR:
Jennifer Walters
Nutrition Director
Winona Area Public Schools
The Director of the Year award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of school nutrition directors who manage effective school meal programs providing healthy and appetizing meals to students.
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Jennifer Walters has successfully developed many programs to increase student engagement, encourage healthy eating habits and strengthen community connections. She significantly enhanced the district’s farm-to-school program by partnering with local farmers. A standout initiative involves cattle purchased from a student’s family to menu locally sourced protein in her schools. She also expanded the district’s hydroponic farm, which is harvested in the central kitchen to deliver fresh lettuce to schools. The effort improves meal quality while serving as an educational tool to teach students about sustainable agriculture. Walters actively promotes these initiatives, engaging with parents and local media to highlight the importance of fresh, locally sourced food while also fostering a sense of community pride.
Walters secured multiple equipment grants to provide critical kitchen upgrades without straining the department’s budget. These grants have modernized food preparation and storage equipment, improving efficiency and meal quality and helping to streamline kitchen operations, increase meal participation and reduce maintenance costs.
To combat food insecurity and ensure students have access to nutritious meals during the summer, Walters purchased and renovated a school bus as a mobile meal unit to reach the community. She actively engages with the school board to advocate for meal program improvements, presenting data on meal participation, grant funding and student health benefits to secure ongoing support for initiatives.
“An exemplary school nutrition program director, Jennifer is an active member and asset to our organization. We’re thrilled to honor her innovative thinking and commitment to her students, program and profession,” said MSNA President Emily Malone.
Walters is active in her local SNA chapter, continuously finding innovative ways to engage members, such as organizing virtual meetings with guest speakers and fostering collaboration among peers. Her dedication has strengthened chapter participation and enhanced professional development, helping members stay informed on industry trends. A speaker at multiple state conferences, she willingly shares her expertise, presenting on topics such as farm-to-school partnerships to help other directors improve their programs. Walters also coordinates regional training and food shows for area school nutrition staff, offering hands-on workshops and networking opportunities on new regulations, menu development and innovative cooking techniques to improve staff knowledge and retention. She currently serves on MSNA’s Public Policy and Legislative Committee.
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MINNESOTA'S MANAGER OF THE YEAR:
Donna Walter
Cook Manager
Centerville Elementary School, Centennial School District 12
The Manager of the Year award recognizes the dedication, ingenuity and compassion shown by cafeteria managers who have excelled in providing high-quality, nutritious meals to students throughout the school year.
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Donna Walter takes great care of her students and staff. She leads by example, with attention to detail and a commitment to mentoring in the kitchen, which helps support staff retention. Her efforts create a positive work environment, she takes time to recognize team members in special ways and works out in the kitchen to help wherever there is a need. Walter is always available to answer questions on everything from food ingredients and quantity requirements to cooking and filling out necessary paperwork.
Outside of her behind-the-scenes roles, Walter is also willing to help out in the cafeteria. She knows many students by name and makes sure to accommodate all of their dietary needs. She keeps school staff informed of updates to the menu or staffing and works with teachers to accommodate changes to the normal lunch schedule for field trips or school events.
“Donna leads by example with the willingness to help anyone who has a need in the kitchen or cafeteria,” said MSNA President Emily Malone. “We’re grateful for her commitment to her students and program and look forward to celebrating her efforts.”
Walter encourages her staff to become members of SNA and has attended numerous conferences to participate in as many classes as possible. She earned her SNA Certificate and also utilizes online training opportunities to advance her professional development.
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MINNESOTA'S AND SNA'S MIDWEST REGION EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Barbi King
Food Service Assistant
Centennial Middle School, ISD#12, Minnesota
The Employee of the Year award recognizes the valuable contribution of school nutrition employees who exhibit a remarkable commitment to both their school meal program and the students they serve.
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Barbi King makes it her daily mission to provide students with tasty and nutritious meals that keep them coming back for more. She created signs in the kitchen to grab students’ attention and promote healthy school meals. She decorates parts of the cafeteria for holidays and brings fun headbands for the staff to wear. She is always willing to help students, putting in extra effort to ensure forgetful students have their barcodes for the cashier to scan and providing small rewards when they remember. King contributes ideas to help mealtimes run smoothly, suggesting a reorganization of the cafeteria to make it easier for students and staff to collect their meals.
She is an exemplary team player and is often first in line to train new employees, help others and stay late when needed. King took it upon herself to translate and type out work roles for a new employee who spoke little English to ease their transition. Always keeping busy, King gladly wears many hats in the kitchen and never hesitates to work the register, wash dishes, grab cases from the cooler or do whatever needed to finish on time.
“Barbi is dedicated to her students and co-workers and goes above and beyond to ensure all are cared for,” said Shannon Gleave, RDN, SNS, School Nutrition Association President. “She is always thinking of ways to improve the food service experience for students and staff, which further illustrates her work ethic and caring nature.”
Professional development is important to King. She has completed her level one SNA Certificate and hopes to build relationships and gain new insights by attending Minnesota SNA state conferences. She takes her own time to learn more about policies related to human resources and school meal requirements.
The Employee of the Year Award was created to recognize outstanding school nutrition employees who influence the quality of school meals through customer service, an interest in young people, cooperation, work attendance, creativity, participation in professional development and their willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty.
King was announced as the Midwest region Employee of the Year during an online awards ceremony on April 30 in advance of School Lunch Hero Day, celebrated on May 2, 2025, to honor dedicated school nutrition professionals. The accomplishments of King and all SNA regional award winners are profiled on SNA’s Instagram (@PowerofSchoolMeals), Facebook (@SchoolNutritionAssociation) and (@TrayTalk), and on TrayTalk.org around School Lunch Hero Day. SNA award winners will also receive recognition in School Nutrition magazine, SNA e-newsletters, on schoolnutrition.org and at SNA’s Annual National Conference in San Antonio, TX, in July.
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MSNA'S HERO AWARD WINNER
Stacey Gaetz
Nutrition Services Coordinator
Roseville Area School District
The MSNA Hero Award recognizes an individual who goes above and beyond daily at their job.
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Through her 13 years of service, Stacey Gaetz has grown and excelled in various positions prior to the vital role in the district office she currently serves. She is known for her positivity, keeping morale high and embodying dedication, enthusiasm and an unwavering commitment.
Stacey has worked to enhance the student experience, ensuring they receive high-quality meals while fostering a welcoming cafeteria environment. She’s also helped boost menu offerings by expanding the Farm to School program and incorporating different Minnesota Thursday menu items. She researched vendors to source new menu options, including bison hot dogs and locally made sauerkraut and recipes for Hmong menu day.
Always willing to take on additional responsibilities, Stacey is eager to learn new job tasks and dedicated to personal and professional growth. She’s learned many different facets of operating the department from budgeting, coding and personnel management to equipment and kitchen construction management. Stacey onboarded five new managers in the last year and eagerly supports and encourages their growth and success. She’s often the first to step in and assist managers on the frontlines, ensuring that daily
operations run smoothly and effectively.
“It was an honor to present Stacey with the 2025 Hero Award and recognize what an asset she is. Between the positive rapport she establishes with her team and the various initiatives she takes on to directly benefit students, her deep commitment contributes greatly to her program’s success,” said MSNA President Emily Malone.
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MSNA'S HERO SITE AWARD WINNER
Lakeland Elementary School
Willmar Public Schools
The MSNA Hero Site Award recognizes excellence in teamwork, creativity and customer service.
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The Lakeland team is comprised of:
Katie Van der Hagen, Head Cook
Marsha Hegreberg, Second Cook
April McGillivray, Cashier
Kaylee Linde, FNS Assistant
Jan Damof, FNS Assistant
Brenda Sather, FNS Assistant
Genesis Treviño, FNS Assistant
Jennifer Rannetsberger, Lunchroom Supervisor
The team is known for being friendly with everyone in the school building, making a point to know students by name and talk with them in the line. Everyday, students seek out or offer hugs to the beloved team members. Students even use their reward time to be helpers in the kitchen, where they don a special apron and hairnet and engage with the team.
Led by head cook Katie Van der Hagen, the team takes great pride in the quality of food presented to students. Extra effort is taken to adjust scratch recipes based on feedback from students or other cooks to enhance their flavor or appearance.
Starting the school year short-staffed, the team worked together very well, taking turns to go in early to help fill in staffing gaps. Even with the extra burdens, the team showed up cheerfully knowing their work was important to feed students.
“It’s inspiring how the Lakeland team supports one another and their building, providing incredible customer service and also giving back to their community,” said MSNA President Emily Malone. “Their positive, energetic attitudes have a tremendous impact on students.”
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About the MSNA Awards
- The MSNA Hero Award recognizes an individual that goes above and beyond each day at their job. This award is for individuals and they must be nominated by any staff member within the school district. Self-nominations are not accepted. The nominated member must be a SNA/MSNA member and a school nutrition employee. Directors are not eligible for this award. Multiple candidates may be nominated from each district.
- MSNA Hero Site Award showcases EXCELLENCE in Teamwork, Creativity and Customer Service. Going the “Extra Mile” is a part of the team’s goals to bring their best service to the forefront. Any team of two or more may apply for this award. They must be a member of SNA/MSNA and must be employed by a school nutrition program. Application must originate and be submitted by the kitchen team.
About the SNA Awards
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